In the last week of February, eight original pieces unfolded across four consecutive nights. Adèle Belem opened the evening with “Cathexis,” a ballet she choreographed herself. Borrowed from psychoanalysis, the term refers to the emotional investment we place in an object or a person. Here it framed the intimacies and difficulties of a couple’s life. The music, “All I Had” by the band Structures, was performed live, voice and electric guitar, lending the piece depth, immediacy and a poetic edge. Belem and Milo Avêque threw themselves into an adventurous pas de deux built on constant, intense physical contact. The atmosphere felt cinematic, like a scene with two young romantic rebels in an abandoned industrial shell: dark and melancholic, yet oddly tender.

Rubens Simon’s “À jamais sans leurs yeux” was enigmatic. Simon appeared on stage first holding a book, and later returning with a few props. He was joined by four dancers, one man and three women, all dressed in everyday clothes. The women’s pointe work, their elongated movements and airy phrasing, created a striking tension with Daft Punk’s “Touch.” An atmosphere of quiet mourning emerged, as if shared for those who are no longer here. It was a heartfelt, articulate depiction of loss, nostalgia and the fragility of life.

We turned to neoclassical style with “Rhythm Work I” by Felicia Calazans. The mere presence of Bianca Scudamore and Keita Bellali, not to mention their immaculate technique and their genuine delight in dancing, could make almost any choreography look radiant. Here, though, it is a perfect match: Calazans gives them movement that flatters their lines, and in return their artistry gives weight, flesh and meaning to every step. Dressed in deep ecru, the pair begin separated, dancing at the barre, before coming together. The piece is linear in form, but far from easy to execute. It follows the classical pas de deux pattern, with individual variations and a brilliant, virtuosic coda. Calazans does not spare the duo, piling on demanding combinations and exacting turns. Excerpts by Massenet, Kreisler and Hubay, played live on piano and violin, complete this portrait of rare, unforgettable beauty. Calazans deserves real praise for reimagining the genre with such sensitivity and spirit, and for adding a distinctly personal touch.